11 April 2012

The Trayvon Martin Case - My Thoughts

I, as someone living across the pond from the USA, watched the news this late evening with empathy for the family grieving the death of their son. The news hounds and legal eagles jostled for air time and in the melee a couple of sentences jumped out at me. The next paragraphs gives some context:

Speaking at a press conference, Angela Corey, the Florida State Attorney, said Zimmerman had voluntarily turned himself in, and was now in custody.

Saying that the decision to charge him was not taken lightly, she went on: “Today we filed an information charging George Zimmerman with murder in the second degree. It is the search for justice for Trayvon that has brought us to this moment.”

Miss Corey said she had spoken to Trayvon’s “sweet parents” moments before the press conference began to tell them about the charges.

She added that she had first discussed the case with his mother, Sabrina Fulton, and father, Tracy Martin, who she described as “constitutional victims,” when she took over the case three weeks ago.

"The first thing we did was pray with them. We did not promise them anything," she said.

Excuse me?

Forget the patronising 'sweet parents' comment. For a moment. Forget that justice (whatever that means and in various forms) is very difficult to obtain if you happen to be in the wrong 'category'.
By pass the fact that this juncture has arisen purely because people mobilised and highlighted that a young black man was killed on the street.

The Florida State Attorney, no less, who had been allocated the case only 3 weeks ago decided that in her wisdom the first thing she needed to do with the family was.....pray. You could not make it up.

They prayed together and so what a great way to show how you connect with the family, show your determination to obtain truth and detailed analysis of the death of this young man. You stand and do something so utterly based on a collection of 'whoppers' (as we say in the UK) and the family will go away feeling that you are doing the very best job possible.
Well I'm not convinced. Why someone in such a powerful position would feel the need to state, in a 'secular country' that prior to meeting with the family of the deceased they all prayed together.

Is it me or do you see why I am spitting feathers about this? How could this happen? The young man is dead, the system has failed him and his family and only due to immense pressure do the powers that be decide to placate the dissenters/protesters and do what some say they should have done in the first place.

'We did not promise them anything'. Of course you didn't. You couldn't. Nor should you do something so utterly pointless and dumb as to pray with them.

17 comments:

It did not surprise me at all especially considering where it all occurred. The South is the most religious portion of the United States. It is also home to the most murders as well executions. When dealing with the South always be prepared for incongruity.

Unfortunately, most Americans don't think the U.S. is "really" a secular country. You can't imagine the number of religious speakers, websites, and newsletters claiming that the founding fathers based our Constitution on Christianity, despite so much evidence to the contrary. Many members of the Constitutional Convention were Christians, but they created a godless Constitution.

One of the recent presidential hopefuls (Rick Santorum who I am ashamed to say comes from my state) said the speech made by John Kennedy in 1960 made him want to throw up. To him, Kennedy said horrific things in that speech such as:"I believe in an America where the separation of church and state is absolute...I believe in a president whose religious views are his own private affair, neither imposed by him upon the nation, or imposed by the nation upon him as a condition to holding that office."Santorum also supported things like banning birth control. (He dropped out of the race, but won support in many conservative states.) If that idiot were ever elected, I'd have to leave the country for a while.

Honestly, one can't get away from religion here. If you're sick people tell you they will pray for you. I used to work as a customer service rep. and many customers ended phone called with "Have a blessed day." Most people assume I believe as they do because they just can't imagine anyone would think any differently.

As to the tragic Trayvon Martin case, many right-wing religious people are against gun control. And in Florida, a law was recently passed allowing one to shoot anyone who they considered a threat. When I heard that the law passed, I knew something like this would happen. And it is because of the law that there was doubt that Zimmerman would be charged.

Don commented that the south is the most religious and also has a high murder rate. A recent study showed that countries that are the least religious have much lower incidences of murder, teen pregnancy, drug use... and other social ills. Since the U.S. is so religious, we are socially unhealthy.

It is all a sham! The question is: Will justice be served? I have my doubts. Oscar Grant did not really receive justice and that was video taped and he is dead! And now the offending officer:officer Johannes Mehserle want to be reinstated and relocated to Stockton or Tracy Police Department! REALLY!!!

When have you ever heard of someone committing a crime and getting convicted of it being able to return to his job?

So, as I said before "will justice really get served" or is it just for the privileged few?

It seems clear for me, that they prayed not because South is very religious, but it's much EASIER to stand on kness and play your role of faithful citizen rather than really help, especially when you have power!

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